Homeland Security Investigations announced its intent to fine a lawyer it accuses of filing duplicative asylum declarations; the allegations are unproven and the attorney has not been found liable
The Department of Homeland Security said Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations has announced its intention to seek fines totaling more than $250,000 against an immigration attorney it accuses of filing false asylum claims.
According to DHS, HSI issued five Notices of Intent to Fine on June 22 against attorney Vinod Doddamani, who the agency said runs a nationwide practice representing mostly Indian nationals in asylum cases before the immigration courts. The agency alleges that in support of those claims, Doddamani filed declarations that were identical or nearly identical in language and substance, containing the same or similar factual narratives about alleged persecution.
DHS said that across 32 immigration cases, ICE alleges Doddamani prepared and filed 64 fraudulent documents, and that the agency is seeking the maximum fine of $255,232. These are allegations that have not been proven, and Doddamani has not been found liable; a Notice of Intent to Fine is the start of a process, not a final determination.
In a statement, DHS General Counsel James Percival said fraudulent asylum claims burden the immigration system and delay the removal of criminals, and said the action was intended to send a message that the agency would hold immigration attorneys accountable for fraud.
